Latest Rumours On HUGE Plans For John Cena's WWE Retirement Tour
Logan Paul's pitch and a possible record-setting WWE World Title win for John Cena?
The Wrestling Observer newsletter is reporting that Logan Paul personally pitched a WrestleMania 41 match with John Cena, but Dave Meltzer claims WWE are 100% sure they shouldn't run with that plan in the new year. It makes sense to believe that everybody on the roster fancies playing a part in Cena's 2025 retirement tour - Paul is no exception.
It doesn't look like the creative nucleus behind the scenes is too interested though.
LP recently teased retiring from the ring himself, but has since been announced as the latest member of the Raw lineup ahead of the flagship show's jump to Netflix on 6 January. That episode will include Cena's blockbuster return, so things will start to firm up on John's booking for the weeks and months ahead there. A Royal Rumble berth is possible, and it's logical to think WWE has something major in store for one of their biggest ever stars come 'Mania in Las Vegas.
Meltzer, however, has definitively stated that WWE's writing team don't see Logan Paul as the ideal opponent for Cena on the grandest stage. As always, those plans could change. It's hardly outrageous to imagine sources within the promotion would try to divert attention away from something before it eventually plays out on screen.
Or, perhaps they really are cold on Paul vs. Cena.
Will John Cena Break Ric Flair's 16-Time Brag?
Something else needs to be thrashed out creatively during Cena's farewell run. Will he break Ric Flair's heralded 16-time World Champion record by winning a 17th World Title before hanging up the jorts for good? Meltzer discussed that too, and said it's very much still something that's on the table for 2025.
Flair has spoken about John's respect for his achievements in the media; the 'Nature Boy' even claimed that Cena wasn't too interested in breaking his almost mythical record before retiring. However, it's pretty difficult to envision a world in which anyone would say no to one final run on top. That'd put a neat bow on Cena's WWE career, after all.
Triple H presumably wouldn't book Cena to supplant current poster boy Cody Rhodes as core WWE Champion, but JC beating GUNTHER to become World Heavyweight Champ is a possibility. That seems way more plausible, so time might well be ticking on the Austrian's stint on top of the division.
Recently, GUNTHER appeared in a short backstage skit with GM Nick Aldis on SmackDown. WWE's ongoing "Transfer Window" angle could facilitate a jump from Raw > SmackDown for the Imperium leader, which would free up Cody to become Raw's focal point in his stead.
Of course, Netflix will also surely want as much 'Super Cena' as they can get, so it'll be interesting to see what decisions Triple H makes shortly. Cena winning gold is something that'll be strongly considered, at least.